Did you know that in 1820, the slave population in the North exceeded 19,000? Primarily in New York and New Jersey. I just threw that in.
Slavery in Yankee Land
I feel quite sure that I know the exact year when the pristine Puritans decided that slavery was bad. Which year? 1808. Why? That was the year which President Jefferson abolished the slave trade. What does that have to do with the North? You see, it’s like this, many slaves were brought over here in Yankee ships. That is to say, in 1808, they lost their cut of the slave business.
While I’m on this general subject, let’s talk about some bad stuff in the North. And this stuff happened just a bit more than a hundred years ago. Not 160 years. (Egad!)
Did you ever hear of “sweat shops?” In a way, that was a better deal than slavery because there was no capital expense, i.e., no cash outlay to buy a slave. The streets were full of hungry, wretched women who would take any job for a trifling wage, about enough to feed a slave. What if a woman ran a sewing needle through her finger? No problem, if she couldn’t work, just throw her out and pluck another one off the streets. Am I talking about such magnificent cities as NYC and Boston? Take a guess.
One more little item. In many places, there were signs which read, “No dogs or Irish!” The Liberal heart at work. What did the Irish do about it? Let’s put it this way. Mind you, this is just a guess, but I have a feeling that, today, in NYC, Boston, and other cities, you will find quite a few policemen of Irish heritage; some of them in positions of high authority.
By the way, if today you were to tell me that there is no racial prejudice in the North and all prejudice is in the South, I have a very nice bridge to sell you. No kidding, it’s a really swell bridge.
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